A Place to Call Home
by Austin Jade
Summary: Crows are scavengers, scouring forgotten wastelands for their necessities. That doesn't mean they don't need a place to come back to. 'Ties That Bind' Series.


This is a one-shot focusing on how Crow first arrived at Martha's foster home and how he met Jack and Yusei for the first time. Obviously non-canon, but I always thought that Jack and Yusei probably knew each other at a very young age, while Crow probably came along a little later. Jack is about ten, Yusei is eight, Crow is seven, and Martha is whatever age she wants to be. Seriously. She makes Jack bow down to her. And he's a King. Read and Review, please!

'_May the wind carry you Home_

_Blackbird, fly away_

_May you never be broken again'_

* * *

**A Place to Call Home**

Four days and five nights.

That was how long it had been since Crow had more than a scrap of food to call a meal. And he had begun to feel the effects of the lack of sustenance on his young body. By the middle of the second day, the boy had begun to search for a decent meal from the families of some of his friends.

It was these actions that gave the young orange-haired boy his namesake. Crow, himself, slept wherever he found a comfortable spot to sleep and typically ate whatever he could find. Occasionally, though, he would be brought home by one of his friends for a nice meal and a place to sleep.

However, a poor Raining Season made food scarce, especially since it was succeeded by the harsh summer heat. His friends' families barely had enough food to feed themselves a simple meal. Despite being a scavenger, he refused to ask for more than a small bowl of leftovers. He was grateful for even the small morsel, but now he needed to find a consistent source of food.

Luckily, the young boy had just got out of his friend, Ryusuke's, house. His mother, though having little to give, did inform the child of a foster home to the East. The journey started well enough. Crow traveled through the streets, sticking to alleys and heavily shaded areas. It didn't completely alleviate the insufferable sun, but it certainly made it tolerable. He even had a decent night sleep on the outskirts of the main town, to prepare himself for the rest of his adventure.

That was yesterday, however. Today, he learned that his destination was on the other side of what the locals called the Refuse Line; a long contour of barren wasteland that was mostly uninhabited, save for roaches, rodents, and heaps of recyclable rubbish. It wasn't exactly safe, either. Running along the B.A.D. Area, many convicts made their way into the deserted wilderness to escape capture or go hunting for rare items.

With little shade for placation, the heat wave made short work of the orange-haired boy's confidence. He had yet to find such a 'foster home' and was beginning to sorely doubt its existence.

The sweltering temperature bore down on the seven-year-old. Sweat poured profusely down his face and neck. He had long since forsaken wiping his brow of perspiration; his arms and shirt were too drenched to make much of a difference.

His irate stomach released another low growl, which he felt more than heard. The only thing of value he owned besides the clothes he worse was his makeshift deck of Duel Monsters cards, and they were hardly anything that could satiate him. He rubbed his stomach gently in a vain effort to quell the ravenous beast that informed him of the increasingly dire situation.

As if he needed a reminder.

"Dammit," the boy groaned. "What am I gonna do if I can't find my way back to Ryusuke and the others?"

Another thirty minutes of voyaging passed and Crow's pace, which allowed him to cross several miles while in the confines of the City, slowed to a crawl. His footsteps were laborious as he clomped forward, pausing several times to catch his breath. Without relief from the blaze, however, his breaks did little more than produce more sweat.

After almost collapsing from the scorching rays, the boy finally found his solace. In his right mind, Crow might have found it odd that a forest in the middle of badlands such as these might be more than a little odd. However, his weary mind wanted little more than to get himself into the safety of the shade and Crow desired to make this happen.

The boy used what little energy he had left to urge himself forward. He barely registered his entry into the dimness of the woods, if not for the dramatic drop of hotness on his skin. He fell against the tree and slowly slumped to the ground. Light fled from his sight as his heavy lids fluttered shut, drawing the boy into a deep slumber.

* * *

The first thing Crow noticed was how warm he was. Unlike the infernal temperatures the sun bore on him, however, it was peaceful and content. Before opening his eyes, he felt his limbs were tense and stiff from what he assumed was an awkward sleeping position. But when he tried to stretch his arms, a soft cloth restricted his movement.

It was then that Crow felt the unbelievably comfortable bed he laid upon. For the first time the scavenging boy could remember, he was on a clean mattress with clean sheets and clean pillows.

The boy finally cracked open his eyelids to see where he was. He noted that there was a bunk bed above him and a wooden ceiling above that. The youngster eased up into a sitting position, taking care to not hit the crown of his head on the bottom of the bed above him. A damp cloth slipped off of his forehead and into his lap. He dumbly stared at it for a moment before turning to survey the room.

Orange light streamed in through a window next to his bunk, illuminating the bedroom. Just underneath the windowsill was a dresser that had a picture on it consisting of a middle-aged woman who looked like a nun. A small group of four boys and two girls of various ages stood around her garbed in dress clothes. A couple of the children looked happy to be there, but most seemed disinterested or forced into position.

In the far corner near the door, a plastic table stood precariously with a few chairs surrounding it. Someone had slid a thin hardcover book underneath one of the table legs to keep it from slanting. The table bore a chessboard and several different pieces of varying size and wear. Two plastic bags which Crow assumed were containers for pieces of the opposing sides.

On the far edge of Crow's bed, near the door, was a pair of shelves. One ledge contained several books similar to the one under the table. Crow saw a few of the books facing outward and the pages inside were yellowed from age. The other shelf was empty

The orange-haired boy heard a number of footsteps approach the door to his room. Two voices, a youngster's and an older woman's, tittered away somewhat inaudibly enough so Crow couldn't quite make out their discussion. He fleetingly wondered if perhaps he should feign sleep, when the doorknob began to turn.

"Is he goin' to be ok, Martha?" a young voice squeaked.

"He just needs some rest," the other voice reassured the first. "He'll be alright, after he recovers from his overheatin'."

A creaking noise announced the arrival of what Crow determined were residents of his current location. One was a burly middle-aged woman with tan skin. Crow instantly recognized her as the nun in the picture on the dresser. She carried a tray with a bowl, a cloth, a spoon, and some sort of medicine.

The other entrant was a young boy who couldn't have been much older than Crow, himself. He emanated a calm, confident aura that countered his boyish features almost to the point of arrogance. He wore deep dark blue jeans and a blue jacket with a black undershirt. His hair was jet black with yellow highlights and spiked up.

"Oh, you're awake!" the woman named Martha exclaimed. "I was startin' to get worried; you hadn't moved since yesterday." Similarly to the black-haired boy, the nun's booming voice countered her meager clothing. The boy's eyes must have reacted, because she began to laugh. "Surprisin', huh? I get that a lot. Most people don't expect nuns ta' be as outspoken as me."

She walked over to the dresser and set down the tray. "Well, ya' finally got color in your face. When Jack and Yusei found you, you were so pale."

Crow stared in silence. He had rarely found such hospitality, even from his friends' families. He didn't know what to say. Before he could collect himself, Martha walked over and leaned forward, placing her forehead onto his. He felt his face flush from the close proximity of the nun.

"Hmm…your fever's gone down," she noted. "But your cheeks are still red. Are you feeling ok?"

The boy started to nod, but his stomach erupted in a hearty growl, causing the boy to clamp down on it with his hands in embarrassment. Martha laughed again.

"Well, you've been asleep for a whole day, so it's no surprise," she commented. "Anything you would like…errm…"

It suddenly occurred to the orange-haired youngster he had yet to say his name, or anything at all for that matter.

"Crow," he murmured. "Crow Hogan."

"Crow, huh?" Martha confirmed. "Well, let me get you a bowl of soup and some bread. Keep an eye on him, Yusei!" The dark-haired boy nodded as she hurried out of the room with the medicine and tray, leaving the bowl of cold water and cloth on the dresser.

Crow and the boy he now knew was named Yusei both stared at each other for a while without saying anything. After several long moments, Crow became uncomfortable under the gaze of the boy's piercing blue eyes.

"What is it?" the orange-haired scavenger huffed in annoyance.

Yusei continued to stare, before asking the question lingering on his mind. "What's wrong with your hair?"

Crow nearly fell out of the bed. "_My_ hair!? _Your_ hair looks like a giant crab!"

"Better than a giant broom," the youngster countered with a pout.

"_How_ is that better!?"

"Because it is."

"That's stupid!"

"And you're a Broom-head."

"Shut up, Crab-head!"

"Shut up, _both_ of you!" another voice roared.

Crow transferred his gaze to the new opponent. The newcomer was a boy who was slightly older than both Crow and Yusei. He had golden-blond hair and a white-and-blue hooded sweatshirt over a black tank top. Unlike Yusei's deep blue eyes, however, the blonde's eyes were vibrant lavender.

"Jack…" Yusei started, but was cut off by the man he addressed.

"Not Jack, Yusei! King!"

Yusei frowned. "Just because you won that one duel…"

"Yusei, you have yet to win a duel against me."

"Not now that I've got my new monster!" Yusei countered, obviously getting heated with Jack's taunts.

"Is that a challenge?" the blonde sneered, reaching into his pocket and withdrawing a deck of cards Crow instantly recognized.

The blue-eyed boy held out a stack of his own. "You bet it is!"

"Wait!" Crow cried excitedly. The two residents turned to the bedridden child inquisitively. "Are you guys duelists?"

Yusei nodded solemnly. "You're one, too, right?" Crow raised a questioning brow, causing Yusei to walk to the dresser and snatch a small satchel off of it. He held out a small object wrapped in a handkerchief to Crow as he approached the bed.

The orange-haired child removed the cloth and saw a Deck with his ace card, on the top. "My Deck!"

"I'm impressed how well that Deck is put together," Yusei explained, as Crow cuddled with his card set. "Alector is a really good and rare card."

Jack scoffed. "Another challenger would be interesting. We've been trying to get the others to play, but only Hina seems to have any interest."

"I hope you aren't harassing that youngster, you two," Martha's terse voice advised. Instantaneously, the two boys standing near the bed straightened and about-faced to the door. Their caretaker eyed the two boys whose faces looked more than a little suspicious.

"Have you boys cleaned the bathroom, yet, today? I believe it's your week."

"Can we duel after that?" Yusei asked in an unbecomingly shy voice.

Martha chuckled at the attempt to tug at her heartstrings. "After lunch and your chores," she nodded. Yusei released a small cheer while Jack smirked and they raced out of the room to finish their chores.

"Those two," she mused aloud. "They are always dreaming big. Even though they're not the oldest, the other kids all look up to them."

Crow glanced at her with an odd look. Martha noticed his looked and laughed again. "Sorry. I'm just an old woman rumbling." She set the dinner tray down on his lap with a piping bowl of beef stew and a hunk of French bread with a soup spoon and a napkin on the side. "Here you are. Eat up; Maria-chan made the stew. She's been picking up some of the culinary arts, lately. Make sure you thank her, later."

The orange-haired boy took less than half a second to choose between asking who this 'Maria' was and eating the delicious feast before him. His ravenousness decided for him, as he delved into the steaming bowl eagerly.

It was the best stew he'd ever had, he assured himself as he took a break only to breath. In a little over five minutes the contents of the bowl and the bread that came with it had vanished.

"Wow, you definitely finished that up," the nun remarked. "Would you like any more, Crow?"

Crow felt a lump rise to his throat. Nervously, he gulped and shook his head. "No," he replied hoarsely. "I'm grateful, but I don't want to take more than is necessary."

The foster mother's face drooped to a frown. "You wouldn't be," she said flatly, taking the dishes and dinner tray, setting them on the table with the checkerboard. "We have plenty of food for everyone to eat. Now, do you want another bowl?" She turned and gasped.

Crow wondered what she was so surprised about when he suddenly realized his vision was blurry. Streaks of warm salty tears cascaded down his cheeks without his knowledge. He hurriedly rubbed his eyes with the back of his hands to clear his vision, but the deluge only became worse.

The orange-haired boy felt a pair of warm arms wrap around him. He felt a tender but steady pressure causing him to lean forward which he did little to fight against. The nun leaned down and hissed his hair, while he merely grasped onto the brown robe the caretaker wore and continued to hiccup and release the heaviness in his chest for an extended period of time.

After a while, Martha felt the boy's breathing had evened out, she asked her inquiry once more. "Would you like another bowl of stew, Crow?" Her reply was the sounds of continuous inhaling and exhaling, causing the foster mother to lean back to look at the youngster.

He had fallen asleep.

Beaming broadly, the woman gently laid the boy back into his pillow and wiped his face of excess drops of water. She took the boy's deck from the blanket. She carefully wrapped it back up in the handkerchief, placing it back on the dresser, and closed the drapes to shield the bedroom from the rays. Swiftly and silently, she retrieved the tray on the table, sneaked out of the room, and closed the door behind her.

* * *

Crow awoke to a mix of cheers and jeers from just outside the window to the room he occupied. Unlike before, where he was unwilling to arise from his slumber, the youngster almost immediately rotated his body and rose to his knees. He pulled the drapes aside and peered out the window.

If the bright sunlight from before was from late morning, the deep orange rays shining currently were from mid-afternoon. He shielded his eyes with his hand and saw something mirroring a fantasy world he could have only dreamed about.

With the sun barely peeking over the small forest in the horizon, Crow's vision lowered to see a simple swing-set and slide. Closer to the house was a small garden with various flowers blooming from the earth. The ground had patches of grass surrounding areas of dirt, but it was the most vegetation the boy had ever seen in Satellite.

His vision panned left and he saw something that allowed an audible gasp to escape his lips.

The ground, itself, was all dirt and no grass. What was drawn on it, though, was a makeshift Duel Field created by ground-up chalk. Standing at opposite ends of the field were the two boys Crow met only hours earlier. Jack had a card facedown in his Spell and Trap Zone and a Dragon monster on the field Crow had never seen before. Yusei's field was barren.

Several children surrounded the field, either sitting on the ground or standing up in excitement from the duel. The light afternoon breeze carried some of the voices to Crow's window, showing some cheered for Jack, while others wanted Yusei.

Crow hopped out of bed and collected his Deck, hurrying to the door. He glided down the hallway, quickly found a staircase, and descended. He raced passed a doorway with an appetizing aroma permeating the air, causing Crow to stall for a moment. He turned to the door and saw Martha with a light brown-haired teenage girl with rounded cheeks chattering away working on some type of delicious dinner.

The girl must have seen him from her peripheral vision, as she released a muted breath. "Martha…" she exhaled with a grin.

The foster mother raised an eyebrow and followed the soft, warm eyes of the teenager. Her eyes widened then softened into a knowing gaze. "You really should be in bed, you know," she sternly sighed.

A smirk grew on her face. "But, you've been sleeping for over a day, now. You should get to know some of the others." She turned to her junior. "Maria, could you take over, here?"

"Certainly."

Martha proceeded to wash her hands and steered Crow down the corridor. The scents of the outdoors filled Crow's nose, allowing him to determine they were getting closer to the Duel.

They exited the door and stepped out onto the dirt path leading to the backyard. The orange sun blinded the boy only for a moment, as he and Martha approached the boisterous duel.

"Go get 'im, Yusei!" a tall lanky boy in a bandana eagerly called.

A younger pink-haired girl next to him cupped her hands around her mouth. "Jack! Do your best!"

Crow's breath caught in his throat with excitement. 'This…this is…a real Duel…' the boy realized. "Amazing…" he breathed. Martha next to him smiled, placing her hand onto his shoulder causing him to flinch suddenly. He grinned at her and turned back to his o

On Yusei's field were two monsters, a small rodent with brown fur and bolts and screws jutting from its back. Another blue-colored monster with a scarf stood next to it, poised to attack. He had 400 Life Points left, as well. With only 700 Life Points left, Jack had one Set card in the Spell/Trap Zone and Magna Drago in attack mode with 1600 ATK.

"When Junk Warrior is successfully Synchro Summoned, he gains the ATK of all level two or lower monsters on my field," Yusei explained, gesturing to his other monster. "Quillbolt Hedgehog is Level 2, so Junk Warrior's ATK rises to 3100."

"You never change your strategies, Yusei," the older blonde-haired boy declared. "You always manage to bring out Junk Warrior when you need him…However…"

Crow's eyes floated to the card on Jack's field. 'That card must be a Trap,' he surmised. 'If Yusei's attack is negated, somehow, he'll be wide open with Quillbolt Hedgehog in Attack Mode.'

Yusei's eyes narrowed. "Junk Warrior, attack Magna Drago!" The warrior leapt into the sky and flexed his fist. A yellow destructive aura enveloped around the creature's hand and it closed in on the monster. "_Scrap Fist~!_"

Jack smirked, reaching for a button on his Duel Disk. "Trap, open! Shadow Spell!" From the abyss, a series of chains appeared, detaining the monster's limbs and torso, stopping its attack only inches from its target. The thrusters on Junk Warrior's back flared with great intensity, trying to break free of the bonds, but to no avail. "A monster targeted by this Trap can't attack and it loses 700 ATK points."

His opponent groaned inwardly in frustration. He looked at his last card and took it, sliding into the field. "I equip Raregold Armor onto Junk Warrior. You can't attack any other monsters while I control him with this equipment card!" Junk Warrior's armor began to shimmer brightly as it gained a golden hue from the late afternoon sun.

'Yes!' Crow clenched his fists. 'Now his Hedgehog's protected! And 2400 ATK is still a lot to overcome!'

The blonde-haired duelist scoffed. "Yusei, I'm sure you know, but you can't win this duel."

Yusei's brow furrowed in anticipation. "Because you're the King!?" he growled darkly.

"Yes," he placed his hand on his Deck, "because I'm the King!" He tore a card off the top of his Deck. "I release Magna Drago to Advance Summon Strong Wind Dragon (2400/1000)."

The orange-haired youngster frowned. 'It's a strong monster, yeah, but all he'll be able to do is get mutual destruction, right?'

"When Strong Wind Dragon is Advanced Summoned using a Dragon-type monster, he gains half the ATK of the released monster!" Strong Wind Dragon's ATK spiked to 3100.

"Strong Wind Dragon! Attack Junk Warrior! _Strong Hurricane~!_" The monster opened its mouth and released a powerful fiery stream upon its opponent. The stacked consumed the weakened Junk Warrior, allowing the excess energy to strike its master and whittling away the last of his Life Points. (400 + 2400 – 3100 = 0)

The black-haired boy dropped to one knee and pounded his fist onto it in defeat. Jack deactivated his Duel Disk and took his deck from it. Some of the kids ran over to Jack, congratulating him on his win. The blonde nodded solemnly, accepting the praise. The young girl who cheered Jack on was nearest to him.

"Jack! That was great!" she exclaimed with a blush.

Jack smirked and softly ruffled her pink hair. He genuflected in front of her, his eyes lowered to just below her neckline. He took her hand and gently pressed his lips to the back of it.

"A King always respects a Lady of the court." he informed her as he released her hand. Her face reddened further and she let a giddy squeal escape her throat. Jack then turned and waded through the crowd. He approached Yusei who had risen to his feet with a frown. He wouldn't be ungracious in defeat, however.

"Jack—" Yusei started.

They were interrupted by the younger orange-haired boy and their foster mother, the former of whom stood next to them with eyes shining with delight.

"You are…"

"Amazing! Amazing! You're both amazing!" Crow cried, grabbing their hands and shaking them feverishly. The two boys recoiled in surprise. "That was great! You had your monster and powered it up! And it was _sooo_ great! But, he just had the one thing that could stop you! And it was _awe_some!"

The two duelists were speechless and tried to take their hands away from the eager youngster. "That's great but…"

"Jack!" Martha stood grinning broadly at the blonde youth and holding out her hand to him. Muffled giggles rose from the group of kids, much to Crow's confusion. Jack, also, appeared mildly appalled.

"Go on!" she encouraged. "Do your little Kingly bit!"

Jack grunted in dissatisfaction, but begrudgingly approached his caretaker. He knelt down, grabbed her hand, and pressed his lips to her knuckles. "A King always respects a Lady of the court," he sheepishly muttered. He rose to his feet and Martha wrapped him in a tight hug, causing the boy to squirm mightily and bringing raucous forth catcalls, cheers, and chuckles from the crowd behind them.

"I wanna go next! Can I?" he screeched. He turned towards Martha. "Can I?"

Martha released her hold on the boy and shook her head. "It's getting rather late…"

"Alright, time for dinner!" Maria shouted from the doorway. A groan rose from the group of children.

Crow was especially downcast and sighed. Yusei chuckled beside him. "It's alright. You're staying in my room, so we can Duel on the table, there, before we go to bed. And tomorrow, you can be the first on the Duel Disk!"

* * *

During what he could only describe as another marvelous Maria-crafted meal, Crow got to know each of the youngsters that stayed at Martha's foster home. There was, of course, Yusei, Jack, and the fifteen-year-old Maria, who was working to be a teacher to help those in Satellite.

There was also the pink-haired girl whose eyes shone brightly whenever she talked to Jack; her name was Hina. There were also Yusei and Jack's personal friends, the bandana-bearing Nerve, the somewhat clumsy Blitz, and the stocky Taka. All of them were generous and made Crow feel like their family. Even amongst his friends before, he hadn't felt so at peace.

After dinner, Martha and Maria assisted the children in washing up and getting ready for bed. Crow had acquired a hand-me-down of pajama pants from Jack. With everyone ready for bed, Nerve, Taka, and Blitz had gathered inside Yusei and Crow's room to watch them duel. Jack was invited, but he said he was tired from the duel and wanted to turn in early. A short session of teasing instigated by Crow started as he left.

Meanwhile, Crow and Yusei were in the heat of a great Duel on their small wooden table via lamplight. Crow was fascinated by the combos in Yusei's Deck; it seemed to be completely in tune with everything, despite the fact its contents were found amongst piles of junk, mostly on the edges of the Refuse Line. It always amazed Crow what the City-dwellers would throw away, just because they couldn't find the time to make use of it. Yusei always made the most use of everything he had, and Crow naturally gravitated towards him, because of it.

Crow also learned that the embodiment of this fact was Yusei's key card— the Synchro Monster, Junk Warrior. Yusei had just summoned it onto the field with his Speed Warrior and Shield Wing in defense mode, while Crow only had two cards facedown to protect his Harpie's Brother.

"Junk Warrior (3200 ATK) attacks Harpie's Brother (1800 ATK) and you lose 1400 Life Points!" Yusei declared, scribbling down some quick math. Crow held his forehead in disgust as a quick glance at the score told him that his opponent led the duel 800 to 400. Crow was the best duelist out of all of his friends across the Refuse Line; it had been a long time since he was in such a tough duel.

"Ok…here goes," he breathed. "My turn, Draw!" Crow looked at his card in surprise. "It's here!"

Yusei's eyes widened at his declaration. "When you control two monsters of the same Attribute, I can Special Summon Alector, the Sovereign of Birds from my hand (2400/2000)!" Crow threw down the card on the table.

"Wow!"

"Hey drew his key card right then!?"

Crow smirked with pride at the admiration his creature got. "And now, I activate my facedown card, Reinforcements!" He flipped over his Trap card. "I raise Alector's ATK by 500 points!"

Blitz whistled gleefully. "What a combo!"

"Wait," Nerve stated, "Alector's ATK is, indeed, high at 2900…but Junk Warrior's still higher at 3200."

Crow, himself, had just realized this and sighed heavily in defeat. Yusei raised an eyebrow at the boy as he worriedly inquired, "Is something wrong?"

"Alector's attack isn't high enough…I'll end my turn…" Crow muttered miserably.

Yusei pursed his lips as he drew a card. "At your End Phase, Alector's ATK returns to 2400. Junk Warrior will attack and destroy it." Crow moaned loudly as he realized he lost the duel. "Why didn't you activate Alector's ability?"

"What?" Crow frowned, wondering why Yusei was rubbing in his victory. "I did. I summoned him."

"No, his other ability!" Crow took the card and read it as Yusei recited it. "You can select one face-up card on the field. Alector negates the effects of that card until the End Phase."

Crow's eyes widened. "If I had activated it on Junk Warrior, his ATK would have been…2300! Alector would've had 2900 and could have beaten it!" This did little to lighten his mood, but at least he knew the full power of his favorite card, now.

Crow stretched, ready to go to bed. They bade Nerve, Blitz, and Taka good night and closed the door, when his vision glanced over to the Duel Disk resting on the previously empty shelf.

"Hey, Yusei, can we play with that?" the winged-beast duelist inquired.

Yusei climbed to the top bunk. "We'll duel with it tomorrow. But I'm tired, right now." He slipped under the covers. Crow followed shortly thereafter and soon the even breathing sounded in the room.

Crow, however, was not ready for slumber. His mind was racing about how different his life had been in only the span of a day. Meeting Martha and the others, Jack and Yusei's duel, the great food, and the comfortable bed, it was all too much for the orange-haired youngster.

He also felt guilty. For Crow, a scavenger who only took what he needed, the day had been full of taking advantage of his situation. Compared to most of his friends' lifestyles, even his friends who still had both parents, it was a veritable paradise. His friends wouldn't even believe him if they knew he had a Duel Disk. He knew he couldn't stay anymore. There was one thing he had to do, however.

He had to see his favorite card, Alector's, SolidVision Hologram.

Crow sneaked out of his bed and took off his pajamas. He folded them in half and laid them on the bed. He put his own clothes back on and grabbed his shoes. Silently, he stepped towards the shelf with the Duel Disk and snatched it. He slithered out the door of the bedroom, making sure it was latched behind him.

Crow easily memorized the corridors he had taken earlier with Martha and Maria after dinner, so traveling even in the dimly lit hallways were ease itself. Carrying the surprisingly light Disk and his Deck, Crow sneaked passed the kitchen and outside the house.

He approached the Duel Field and stood on the same ground Yusei had been on only hours earlier. He strapped the Disk to his arm.

"Alright…I think the power switch was…" He pressed a button next to the Deck Zone on the Disk and it whirred to life. The holographic projectors ignited and illuminated the area dimly.

The light shone just bright enough to show Crow two silhouettes on the other side of the Duel Field.

"Jack?" Crow inquired. "Yusei!?"

"Just where did you think you were going with that?" Jack questioned.

"I wasn't stealing this," Crow remarked. "I just wanted to see Alector's SolidVision before…" His voice died in his throat.

"Before you left and went back home?"

Crow gaped at Yusei then furrowed his brow. "Well…it's not that I wanna leave…its great here, but I don't—"

"—want to be a bother to the others here?" Crow was silent. "Most of us have come from similar backgrounds as you. We band together to help one another; we're not burdens. Martha says that we need to keep ourselves alive; because we'll be the first generation that completely lived through Satellite—and we'll be the only ones with the power to change anything."

"But…"

Jack gruffly growled. "Fine, there's only one way to settle this." He rose his arm up and slid on another Duel Disk. He stuffed his Deck into the Deck Zone on the Disk and activated the holographic generators. "A duel!"

"Ehhhhh~!?" Crow's face contorted in confusion.

"In a duel, everything comes to light," Yusei explained. "The emotions of the opponents; their hopes and dreams; it's all made clear." Crow still wasn't sure. "It's easier to show than tell, in this case."

Jack nodded. "Anyway, the terms for the Duel are as follows: if you win, we let you go, no questions asked. If I win, however, you'll stay here, at Martha's."

Crow shrugged in defeat and nodded. He couldn't help but look forward to the encounter, though; it was going to be his first duel with a real Duel Disk! As the Life Point counter booted up, his adrenaline sharpened his senses keenly, so everything seemed louder and more vibrant than usual.

Crow's face must have shown his excitement; Yusei was grinning and Jack had started to laugh. "It is customary court manners for two opponents that had never met before in battle to introduce themselves to one another." He jabbed a thumb at himself. "I am the King, Jack Atlas, and this is my domain." Yusei merely rolled his eyes.

Crow clenched his fists. He didn't have a last name, but he remembered one of his friends' nicknames for him was 'bullet', because of how much faster he was than everyone when they had to steal food from those who had too much for themselves. He knew he could work with that. "I am Crow Hogan; my friends call me Crow the Bullet-sama! I may run and hide, but I'll never tell a lie!"

"Crow Hogan, huh?" Jack hummed. "Interesting. Then let's begin!"

**DUEL!**

* * *

Martha had made it a habit of checking to make sure all of the children were safely tucked in their beds. More than once she'd catch Yusei and Jack in one of their rooms dueling well into the night, if she didn't come in and force them to sleep. However, Yusei and Jack also knew she made rounds of checks, as well, so it surprised her, when, not only were Jack and Yusei missing, but Crow, as well.

She wouldn't have to go far, she knew; the Duel Disks from both Yusei's and Jack's rooms were missing. So, the moment she stepped outside the house, she knew she'd see the lights of the holograms of their duel long before she saw either of the duelists.

She was now close enough to hear them as she rounded the edge of the house.

"Strong Wind Dragon, attack! _Strong Hurricane~!_" An explosion rang out causing debris to fly amidst the field. She took the opportunity to sneak up on the group.

She found Yusei sitting on the ground and watching the duel intently. She rapped him on the head once, causing him to yelp. "Martha!?"

She nodded. "What have I told you about comin' out here to duel so late at night?"

The black-haired boy rubbed his head tenderly to ease the throbbing from her hit. "We're not dueling for fun," he insisted. "Crow was going to leave here because he felt like a bother to us. We're trying to get him to stay."

"He was goin' to leave?"

"My turn!" the orange-haired duelist interrupted (700 LP). "Draw! Continuous Trap activates, Call of the Haunted!" The card flipped up. "I summon Harpie's Brother in Attack Mode (1800/600)!"

Crow looked at the card he drew. 'Finally…I'll get to see it…' He moved his hand to his Duel Disk. "I release Harpie's Brother to Advance Summon Alector, the Sovereign of Birds (2400/2000)!" In a brilliant gleam, the form of Harpie's Brother dispersed and reassembled itself into a colorful vortex. Flying out from the portal was a red-feathered bipedal humanoid bird. However, even in the dim light, the polished white armor glistened brilliantly. It flapped its mighty wings and created a cyclone of wind and dust on the field.

"Alector…? Not bad," Jack (1000 LP) chided, "but, still…it's nowhere near my Strong Wind Dragon at 3100 ATK!"

Crow grinned. "Alector, once per turn, can negate the effects of one face-up card on the field for that turn." Jack's eyes widened. "I'll negate the effects of Strong Wind Dragon!" Jack cursed under his breath as his dragon's ATK lowered to 2400.

"Now, I activate my Trap Card, Reinforcements! Until the End of the turn, Alector gains 500 ATK (2900)! Attack Strong Wind Dragon!" The winged-beast flew forward and slashed its razor-sharp talons through the Dragon with little effort. Jack grunted as the attack took away a chunk of Life Points from his Duel Disk (500LP).

"I end my turn!" Crow took a moment to look up at his magnificent monster and suddenly couldn't contain his excitement anymore and shrieked in delight. "Yes! I finally get to see Alector's hologram! It's so cool! It's spectacular!" He began to laugh warmly, allowing the winds to take away his anxiety.

Jack smiled brilliantly. "It's an impressive monster, definitely; strong ATK and a great effect." The blonde youth closed his eyes serenely. "However, it's now my turn. And I have yet to bring out my ultimate creature!"

Crow's eyes widened. "What?"

"My turn! When you control a monster, and I do not, I can Special Summon Vice Dragon from my hand (2000/2400). Its stats are halved when I use its effect (1000/1200)." From a blinding flash of light appeared a great purple dragon with green wings appearing on the field with a roar.

"I'll also Normal Summon the Tuner Monster Dread Dragon (1100/400) from my hand in attack mode!" A smaller brownish-red dragon with a white belly appeared on the field. Its black dreadlocks made the winged-beast duelist chuckle.

"What can he do with only two low ATK monsters…?"

"He's going to Synchro Summon," Yusei said matter-of-factly. Crow gasped in surprise.

"I tune Level Five Vice Dragon with Level Two Dread Dragon!" The body of Dread Dragon vanished and created a pair of green circles that rotated and flew around Vice Dragon. The circles then wrapped around the beast and Vice Dragon's body also became only an outline before disappearing, itself, leaving behind only five radiantly white stars.

"The ruler's shouts echo throughout! Hammer of Victory, shatter the very Earth!"

Crow watched in awe as a pillar of yellow light shot high into the sky, illuminating the entire area. "Synchro Summon! Flap your wings, Exploder Dragonwing (2400/1600)!" A menacing dark blue dragon with small wings appeared before its controller and descended to the ground lightly.

"Exploder Dragonwing attacks Alector!" the blonde commanded. A fiery breath gathered inside the dragon's mouth. Smoke billowed out of its nose and jowls.

"But their ATK is the same!" Crow cried.

"When Exploder Dragonwing attacks a monster whose ATK is equal to or less than its own, Exploder Dragonwing automatically destroys that monster and deals damage to the opponent equal to that monster's ATK. _King Storm~!_" The dragon released a series of fiery bullets that collided into Alector and collapsed its form in a brilliant blaze. Crow was knocked back by the force and watched as his remaining Life Points dwindled to zero.

Jack deactivated his Duel Disk and withdrew his Deck. Yusei, Jack, and Martha all approached the orange-haired boy lying on his back and looking at the stars. "You lost, Crow. So you have to stay here, at Martha's."

Crow sighed but laughed lightly, his heart a little less heavy now that his decision had been made for him. He sat up. "Is it really ok…?"

"Of course! You may even end up providing a better challenge than Yusei, since he never changed his Deck!"

"Hey!"

Jack and Crow began to laugh at Yusei's expense before Crow stopped, realizing Martha was there. Jack, also, looked distraught, as if he was in trouble.

"Jack, you know that you're not supposed to be dueling out here," she reprimanded.

"Ah…I'm sorry…" he cringed.

His foster mother shook her head in exasperation. "Honestly, what am I going to do with you?"

She looked at Crow. "And you…" He flinched at the designation. "We take a caravan to the Inner City twice a week, if you have business there. You don't have to live here, if you don't want to," Martha sternly informed him. She giggled and smiled warmly. "However, my doors will always be open, should you change your mind, Crow."

Crow's eyes widened in surprise. He remembered traveling here only for a place to get food. But he realized, now, that he had even more friends and family, here. He remembered Maria's great cooking. He remembered the care Martha had shown him. And he met two duelists who both seemed to be at least on his level, if not better. A place to sleep, eat, bathe, and just live. He wondered why it was a tough choice in the first place.

"Martha…" he sniffled, "I wanna stay!" He dove into the arms of the caretaker sobbing into her robe, as Yusei and Jack chuckled at the reaction Martha grabbed the other two boys, as well, and wrapped all three in a tight hug. Yusei and Jack tensed only for a moment, but sensed the moment and merely tightened a hold onto her, as well, showing their appreciation.

"Welcome home, Crow," Yusei said happily. Martha only knew his response because she felt him smile into her clothes.

"I'm home."

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I'm posting this one and all the new parts of the series separately. I may even repost the old ones. Because, I realized, the only common denominator between them is the fact that they all belong in the 5D's-verse. And, well, that's what the section in is for, so…yeah. Review, please!


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